Evie Laden Sparks Up the Moon
Tune in Saturday, November 1st, at noon on 88.1 WVPE
Guest host Zach Gipson does a lovely job commandeering this show featuring Evie Ladin, an American musician, singer-songwriter, percussive dancer, choreographer, and square dance caller from Oakland, California. Evie Ladin talks about her love of recording live with audiences, then introduces a song (accompanied by her clawhammer banjo) about swimming in the Yuba River in California.
After the song, she discusses the bandana she markets in her shows, explaining the tradition of “jumping the fire.”“Persians do this on Winter Solstice, and the idea is you throw things you want to get rid of in the fire, and then you jump into the fire as a way of reclaiming light in the darkness.” To accentuate this idea, Evie follows with the song, “Jump the Fire.”
At the break, the band Bobcat Opossum, featuring Ellen Coplin and Sean Hoffman (Fiddle), plays one of their fine songs, “Everything All at Once.” Ellen describes the song's idea as a reflection on the pace of life and a tendency to say “yes” to everything, which leads the duo into some crazy places. Joining them are members of the house band, John Bahler(guitar) and Nathan Waddill (bass).
Immediately following the song, Dale Christopher and Joel Sammuelson play the “Shoot the Moon” game show, with questions about Bloomington, Indiana; the Buskirk-Chumley Theater; The New Lost City Ramblers; Brown University; and an anagrammatic question about the title of an album.
After the break, the show returns with Evie Ladin discussing her work with body percussion with the song “Bring Me a Little Water, Sylvie,” a Lead Belly song. She follows the discussion with an illustration of hambone, playing all parts of her body to the tune as she sings.
After the song, Evie continues with a discussion of her work in the group, the “Stairwell Sisters.”“Lisa Berman and Sue Sandlin started the group after working as graphic designers in a CD factory, and they would sing Carter Family songs in the stairwell.” Evie tips her hat to the Moon after discussing her travels with the group, saying, “You know what is interesting... are places like where we are right now that are community-based spaces and that are beautiful and supported by people like yourselves.”
Evie then sings “I’ve Been Almost Everywhere,” a tongue-in-cheek critique of the homogeneity of modern American store-bought culture, with the repeated line, “it all comes from the same store.”Concluding her set, she does a hambone version of her spirited song, “Coffee Shop.”The whole audience joins her in the chorus, “Coffee Shop, you know, you live it.”Then, as the clapping joins in, she does an absolutely hilarious sonic breakdown with her voice. It’s a great show and you’re in for some great surprises. Enjoy!
The Wild Rose Moon Radio Hour is recorded live before a studio audience in historic downtown, Plymouth, Indiana. The show is hosted by George Schricker and features musical performances, interviews, a game show and more. For more information visit: wildrosemoon.com